Thinkquote of the day: : Catholic Church and evolution

Ever since 1996, when Pope John Paul II said that evolution (a term he did not define) was "more than just a hypothesis," defenders of neo-Darwinian dogma have often involed the supposed acceptance - or at least acquiescence - of the Roman Catholic Church when they defend their theory as somehow compatible with Christina faith.

But this is not true. The Catholic Church, while leaving to science many details about the history of life on earth, proclaims that by the light of reason the human intellect can readily and clearly discern purpose and design in the natural world, including the world of living things.

- Christoph, Cardinal Schoenborn
(From " Finding Design in Nature", New York Times , July 7, 2005)

(Note: Observe the use of the term "light of reason." The Catholic Church does NOT hold that reason emerged from the primaeval slime as a survival mechanism of fit organisms (and therefore might have been different), but rather that it is analogous to the operations of the Mind behind the universe (and therefore must be what it is). In other words, the Church believes, as does George Gilder, that intelligence is top down, not bottom up.

Thus, one question, put simply, encapsulates the intelligent design controversy. Is intelligence top down or bottom up?)

If you like this blog, check out my book on the intelligent design controversy, By Design or by Chance?. You can read excerpts as well.

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